Gabriel Nadeau Dubois quits Assembly after 10 years in politics
gabriel nadeau dubois quit the Assembly nationale du Québec this week, ending a 10-year political chapter and saying he is turning to other projects. At 36, the former Quebec solidaire co-spokesperson said the decision closes a period he had expected to end differently.
He said he made the choice a little more than a year ago and described the last week as emotional. He added that he has no precise plan for his professional future and will take the summer to organize his ideas.
Nadeau-Dubois on his exit
“C’est un cycle qui se termine,” he said at the end of his departure. He also said, “La semaine dernière a été pleine d’émotions [...] Mais je suis serein. Je ne regrette pas la décision que j’ai prise il y a un peu plus d’un an.”
Nadeau-Dubois said he would have liked to accomplish more in politics and to take his political family further. He said, “J’aurais voulu accomplir davantage, j’aurais voulu amener ma famille politique plus loin.”
He also said, “Je suis aussi fier de ce travail que j’ai fait pendant 10 ans. Surtout, ce qui m’apaise, ce qui me rassure, c’est que je sais que j’ai tout donné. Ça me réconcilie un peu avec cette fin de parcours qui n’est pas celle que j’avais imaginée.”
Criticism at Québec solidaire
The former MNA said criticism and internal problems within Québec solidaire made parts of the work harder. He said, “Se retrouver dans une situation où la majorité de notre temps, c’est de réparer des pots cassés ou de se déprendre de conflits avec les gens avec qui on pensait être en accord, c’est beaucoup plus énergivore et oui, ça fait plus mal.”
He added that it hurt when people said he was doing politics for himself, for his career, or for personal glory. In response, he said, “Ceux qui me connaissent savent qu’il n’y a rien de plus faux. Je me suis toujours engagé pour des idées pour une famille politique, pour un parti.”
Nadeau-Dubois also said people still stop him in the street each week to say they became involved in their workplace, school board, municipality, or neighborhood after seeing him in 2012 or later at QS. He said that reaction still affects him.
Summer plans and politics
The 36-year-old said he plans to go camping with his family in the coming weeks. He said he is the father of two young girls.
He also ruled out a quick return to political life. “Je prévois une Coupe Stanley dans les quatre ou cinq prochaines années à Montréal [...] Je suis absolument certain que je ne serai pas de retour en politique dans quatre ou cinq ans,” he said.
For Quebec solidaire, his exit removes one of its best-known figures from the Assembly nationale du Québec. For Nadeau-Dubois, it closes a decade in politics and starts a stretch he says he will spend away from elected office.
